Gravity Falls - Not What He Seems - Meet The Author 

"I'm sorry Mr.Pines but I have a new mission, saving those kids!" Soos is the best

0:47 I love how the car starts lifting before Gideon's dad does, implying he weighs more XD

I remember this premiering, and I totally flipped out. At school the next day, I saw one of my friends who happened to love the show, and she was with one of our other friends. The minute she saw me she ran up to me and we were just like OH MY GOSH and totally fan-girling over it for at least five minutes. Our poor other friend; he doesn't even watch the show, so he was just awkwardly standing there.

"I trust you." God. Still makes me tear up every time I hear it.

[2:00] "Look into my eyes, Mabel: you really think I'm a bad guy?!" Just his face and the way he says that... You feel exactly what both Stan and Mabel are feeling in this moment: despair and sadness in the former, insecurity and heartbreak in the latter. While all Dipper can feel is pure, utter betrayal. It's just sad all of this, the way he's outright *begging* her to just trust him.

The gravity in this scene when there's (literally speaking) no gravity.... Easily my favorite scene of the show. It's so perfect. The music, the betrayal, the issues regarding trust, and most of all the author's identity. I've seen this scene a few times now, but it still makes something clench in my chest. Perfectly mastered, brilliantly done!

They should have realized that of all people, Stan is the least likely to actively try to destroy the world. There is almost literally no profit in that.

The part when Mabel says "I trust you" and let's go. I saw so much fan art for it and I waited the whole show for it

I was speechless when I first saw this

Who else believed the twin brother theory before this episode and screamed "WE WERE RIGHT!!!" the first time you saw this?

"It's just gonna be another goofy episode filled with silly jokes for kids."

The fact that this is a family dispute, and that all the characters 'trusted each other' before they spilledvthe beans really hits hard in this scene - especially the really strong bond between Mabel and Dipper being shattered by one button - damn.

"Its just going to be another wacky episode filled with silly jokes for kids"

What an amazing animation had this scene

I love the play with lights and shadows in this episode. The way when they turn toward Stan all their eyes are far brighter than normal, reinforcing the accusatory look.

I think a lot of people trash on Mabel and I feel like this episode is a showcase at what Mabel (and to a wider extent Stan) does differently than Dipper which is thinking more with her heart. Dipper has every reason to not trust Stan and to reasonably think that letting the machine activate would probably mean the end of like, everything. And even with that, Mabel still made the right choice in the end and because of that is probably a big reason everything ended well. If they had shut down the machine, Stan would have gone to prison, Ford would have continued to be trapped in another dimension, Dipper and Mabel would have likely been sent home, and Bill would have had no one to stop him. There's also really nice little touches you see like the really amazing frame of Dipper, Mabel and Soos looking at Stan as he yells in at them. Dipper and Soos are both very clearly angry and betrayed by him but Mabel is visibly in shock. It's like she's still processing everything and has a faint glimmer of home that her grunkle is still a good person.

This is the best Gravity Falls moment. Next is Bill's death.

One of the best Soos scenes: Mabel," is this the part where one of us faints?" Soos," I'm so on it dude!" Then.....faint

The ending credit scene was so beautiful and peaceful. I love those types of credit endings where it’s no sound except for air birds and it shows the childhood of the main characters

I remember back when this episode was aired, the author who was finally revealed in this episode, was so unpredictable..

Dipper used his head to try and convince Mabel to press the button even after hearing Stan's plea instead of listening to his heart in trusting Stan. What Mabel did is that she didn't use her head but she listened to her heart and trusted Stan.

2:54 anyone notice it's the same music playing when I first find journal 3 in episode 1

Man I remember just watching this scene and screaming and crying at the same time for basically the whole episode. I honestly wanna do a fan re-animation some day. (More anime style, like the famous remake of the car scene with Pacifica)

I remember being in junior high watching this, my mom would occasionally stop and watch cuz of the “silly characters” but we were locked in watching this episode, you could hear a pin drop, this episode was AMAZING

Gravity falls is way too awesome nothing to hate in the show

I think it's the music when The Author leaves the portal that really makes this scene.

I bet Dipper is happy he didn't shut down the portal...

Can’t believe this was 6 years ago. I’m 18 now and thinking about colleges, and I wouldn’t have what it takes to get into like ANY of them if not for this day. Thanks to Mabel “screwing up” as she always did that summer, I had like a 5 year education boost in like three weeks. Still see Stan and Ford every now and again, they visit rarely. Always wondered what would’ve happened had I taken up that apprenticeship though.

Dipper: WHO'S THAT POKEMON The Author of the journals, my brother

You know, a few years ago, Man of Actions studios (showing how respectful they are) responded to criticism to Ultimate Spider-Man saying that people shouldn't expect a show by Disney on a Disney owned network to be good, that it's geared towards children and doesn't need to be quality. Gravity Falls, which aired the same year and targets the same audience as Ultimate Spider-Man, with episodes like Not What He Seems, is the counter argument. That just because it's geared towards children, doesn't mean it can't have quality writing and acting. Just because it's Disney doesn't mean it can't be good. And just because you have silly stuff like Soos getting poked in the stomach, Dipper and Pacifica's awkward hug and Mabel's hallucinations from expired candy, doesn't mean it can't also be a show that has good emotional moments. This episode is strong, not just with elements of betrayal, trust and secrecy, but it's even structured differently than other episodes. This scene in particular only has levity until the very end, after over 3 minutes of real drama and seriousness. And a lot of credit needs to be given to Jason Ritter and Kristen Schaal for their acting, respectively showing Dipper's anger and Mabel's broken heart of Grunkle Stan's going behind their backs.

Guys foreshadowed I think the picture of dipper and Mabel being broken at the end. I think it means also in the beginning when stan said it's unlikely for twins to get along. That's after all the crazy things happened when dipper get's angry why she dint shut it down and dipper gets trap in the portal like GRUNKLE STANS BROTHER

Seeing what it did to the town, I really didn't know what the best course of action would be, trust Stan or play it safe.

THIS SCENE GOT TO ME SO HARD

Gravity Falls might not be my absolute favourite show of all time (still no. 2 tho) but this is probably one of the best episodes of a show ever made!

Is there any way of finding the music that was used in this scene? It's so dramatic I'd love to hear it without the dialogue.

"Mabel look into my eyes, do you really think im a bad guy?" *Top 10 times where real men cried*

3 minutes feels like an hour with this scene.

I passed out during this scene...

Honestly, this is the best moment in the series. Of course besides the ending of the entire show, both were so sad

The author of the journals... (Stanford Pines' face is finally revealed!) ...my brother.

How come Stan didn't just say that he was saving his brother?

Gravity Falls is perfect as it is, but if I could, I would add another season, splitting Season two from this episode. Add nine more episodes before “Not what he seems” and make them the new season two, to further explore the mysteries of the other two journals, as we never really got to know what’s in them; then add ten more episodes after “A tale of two Stans” and before “Dipper and Mable vs the future” as the new season three, which will primarily focus on adventuring with the author of the journals, as well as exploring the Pines family relationships.

1:33 Gets me everytime.

i don't know why but I really like that scene where Dipper says no and they all just look like they get vaporized maybe its the animation and how different they look

This is my favorite scene in anything ever

Is it just me or did the author look pretty pissed. Also BEST EPISODE EVER

Damn it's been 3 years since that episode aired man how time flies by.

"I don't even know who you are!" Ow, my heart

2:53 I just noticed, in the bottom left hand corner the symbol looks like the Society of the Blind eye symbol

Stan said please without any ill side effects. This is serious.

"The author of the journals. My brother" My dick always get hard when i hear that line

It's weird that Dipper stopped trying to hit the button before Stan told him not to hit the button.

2:17 that’s a really powerful scene right there.

I am so happy the author is revealed

I swear, this is like, probably the new biggest thing on RU-vid.

I think this episode is one of the few from the show that I Actually saw while the show was airing, and I'm glad I did

Still hits me in the feels to this day

One of the most badass, most epic, most thrilling, and exciting scenes in animated history. The animators, story directors, visual artists, and Alex Hirsch himself NAILED this scene!

THE greatest reveal/plot twist in animation EVER do NOT dare to tell me it isnt

You know, a part of me is still upset Dipper never apologizes to Grunkle Stan for assuming he was going to kill them all

0:53 Floating truck! 2:43 Hey. where's the truck?

I adored the visuals on the portal, such a wonderfully animated intimidating machine

Greatest moment in a kids tv show And saddest

Imagine if Stan came down in his normal shack cloths when he's not working as in his filthy tank top I think and other accesories

Wow 4 years i remember watching the premiere in my great grandmas room she passed 🙏.

Dipper, 30 years ago my brother went through that portal. I want him back that's why I'm doing all this. I would've explained to dipper in a few simple lines.

my theory: We know that Grunkle Stanford, McGucket, and the Author were the team working on the portal 30 years ago. (we know this from the THREE manual override keys) I believe that soon after McGucket left, (he said he left the project in "The Society Of The Blindeye,) Stanford wanted to get the portal working - regardless of the consequences. (I believe it was Stanford not the Author that did this because of the Author's warnings about the potential destruction of earth in invisible ink) And on that fateful day 30 years ago, because of Stanford's relentlessness to get the portal working, I think the Author got sucked in - or possibly pushed in. Stanford realized he had just gotten his own brother stuck in another dimension so he faked his brother's death so nobody asked questions about "where is "Stanley?" and spent 30 years changing his identity to collect (steal) everything he needed to get is brother back. BUT what still throws me off is when the shapeshifter said "that 6 fingered fool hasn't been himself in 30 years." - does that mean the fake IDs are the author's? Or does that just mean that when he got sucked into the portal, he changed somehow (because he didn't look too friendly when he came out of the portal :/ ) Maybe those two symbols on the portal when he comes out - which means Darkness is coming - is a warning about the author???or Bill??? Now, I also think that Bill may have played a roll in the Author's disappearance. Let me explain why: The Author and Bill clearly knew each other. We know this from "Dreamscapers" - when Bill thinks to himself "Stan Pines..." (Soon we will see that vision) We also know this from the journal pages. "Beware Bill - the most powerful and dangerous creature I have ever encountered. Whatever you do - never let him into your mind." 1 - How would the author know not to let Bill into your mind unless it happened to him or someone he knew. 2 - It's extremely possible that the author summoned Bill at one point. Maybe Bill tried to shut down the portal as they we're activating it and took the Author with him into it, or maybe Bill came out of the portal. Either way I think Bill has something to do with the portal. And the apocalypse has been set in motion by opening the portal - that's why McGucket ran. Bill is coming and it's going to be amazing. Aliens are a possibility... I suppose. With the spaceship like hole in the cliffs and the alien photo from the credits. I'm pretty sure aliens aren't going to make an appearance in the show, but who knows. please comment your opinion - I'd be glad to hear them.

The best part of the episode.

laat at the little things: you see dippers forehais tattoo thing REALLY good and mostly you don't see it. Also the author had a gun on his back and didn't seem very happy(btw he lokked so freaking badass) WHAT DID HAPPEN BEHIND THAT PORTAL? WHY DID THEY BUILD THE PORTAL? WHY DID HE WROTE THE JOURNALS? WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST? AND WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WITH BILL AND THE DARKNESS? (the 2 signs of the portal are a code and it means that the darkness is still coming)

I hate that we might never get another peak written episode for a kids show again

I came dangerously close to screaming the first time I saw this part- and all the other times

I just cannot get enough of this scene!! Even after watching the whole episode (and the one after it), I still can't get enough of this scene!

Mabel trusted Stan and everything turned out okay. He kept a lot of big secrets but he was still the guy she thought he was.

My twin sister and I both watched this and A Tale of Two Stans together, and that is one of my best memories. Both her and I were freaking out when this episode came out.

In the first few seconds I'm pretty sure Dipper's voice switched to Stan's. Symbolism?

Can’t believe this was 4 years ago already

I just showed this episode to my brother and he fucking loved it.

The soundtrack is absolutely beautiful

This was definitely one of the best episodes of Gravity Falls.

3:18 oh ho ho! I am totally on it dude! “Faints”

"Mabel, look into my eyes! Do you really think I'm a bad guy?"

1:33 the way they stop when they see her tears

Dipper is such a know it all.

This episode is one of my favourite episodes

Possibly the most complex kids show of all time

2:21 Mabel are you crazy we’re all going to! * clock ticks to one* well your screwed dipper

Soos trusted you, so I do to. Then why in the bloody hell DOES THE AUTHOR KNOWS YOU!?

Damn 2 more months and year old wow i have watched since northwest manor

Damm this show was so good sksksks

It’s nice to look at this scene 3 years later

OK TBH when I watched the episode I didn't know what was going to happen but I already knew that Dipstick was acting like a HUGE piece of ****** Because I somehow knew he was not right and that Mabel should press the button and the whole universe isn't going to get distroid I don't know how I knew it but I just did weird maybe it's just predictable cartoon logic or maybe it's just me being weird

I have a theory that why stan really tried hard to keep this from the kids was because he knew they would always listen to the book (especially about the tearing apart the universe page). So if you left it on stanley would be saved, but if they pressed the red button that would start the apocalypse (what mcgucket was talking about) tell me what you think in the comments and please +1

Omg gusy you can see the hands at 3:02 he have 6 Finger bro omg

My sister got me and my family into this series and my dad made the theory, "Maybe the author is someone we haven't met yet?" Boy was he right, Ford's first appearance blew me away 🤯

Will you look at that, Gravity sure falls.

Amazing soundtrack. Made me shed a tear.

pause at 2:26, why are Dipper's pupils shaped so similarly to Bill's while no one else's are? (Grunkle Stan 2:28, Soos 2:29, and Mable 2:30 )

If the universe did end right then and there. It wouldn't have been Stan's fault. It would have been Mabel's fault. As she trusted Stan. If they didn't stop it, everyone and everything would be gone.

ok but,, what the heck was gravity falls's budget. why tf does it have so much extra visuals than most tv cartoons today.

If i was stan i'd just say "why'd i want to destroy the world?? I'm also the idiot that live in it!!!"( if you don't understand i got half the part from guardian of the galaxy 😂😂😂)